Care, Guidance & Support

School Work

You are at school to learn, but that doesn’t mean that learning can’t be fun. If you feel like your having a hard time or are struggling with your work have a look at some of the advice offered by the BBC below. If none of this helps there is no need to suffer on your own. Talk to your parents, form tutor or a member of the pastoral team (pastoral@brockington.leics.sch.uk) to see what help and guidance they can offer:

{ I’m doing really badly }

Everyone has problems with schoolwork sometimes. Try to keep things in perspective. Getting one or two bad grades doesn’t mean you’ll fail your Assessments. Work out why it’s happening and how you can fix it.

{I’m really stressed out by homework }

Homework can seem never-ending and you need to find ways of managing your time effectively. Study somewhere quiet away from the TV and other distractions and make sure you don’t leave it all to the last minute.

{ How can I motivate myself in subjects I hate? }

If you hate a subject you’ll probably never learn to love it. However, with a good range of qualifications you’ll stand out from the crowd when you apply for jobs and college so it’s worth doing your best in all your subjects.

There are lots of websites offering study support and you should ask your teachers for advice – they’re there to help you learn.

{ I’ve got problems at home }

If something at home or in your personal life is worrying you, it can distract you from your schoolwork. Talk about it to your family and friends or a teacher you trust. Alternatively, call ChildLine – they won’t judge you and won’t tell anyone about your call.

If you’ve missed classes for any reason, talk to your teacher about what you can do to catch up.

Careers

Concerns about your options and future career? Please take a look through some of the useful resources below:

Leicester Apprenticeship Hub
Are you aware of students who are interested in apprenticeships? Locally there is a Leicester Apprenticeship Hub, with a website where you can see details of the latest vacancies and Leicester based apprenticeships events. Students can also register to be sent details of future throughout the summer with a guarantee of an interview with employers, plus how to prepare, hints and tips. Go to: apprenticeship hub

Careers Library

Family

Friends

Subject teacher

Form Tutor

A Pastoral Manager

Your Head of Year

Teacher in charge of careers (Mrs Thorpe/Ms Darby)

Health

If you have concerns about your health, there are people you can go to for advice. Remember, by ‘Health’ we mean your body and your mind. You may be physically well but anxious, or unhappy. So, where can you get help or support?

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best. It can be simple, too. Just follow these eight tips to get started.
The two keys to a healthy diet are:

Eat the right number of calories for how active you are, so that you balance the energy you consume with the energy you use. If you eat or drink too much, you’ll put on weight. If you eat too little you’ll lose weight. The average man needs around 2,500 calories a day. The average woman needs 2,000 calories. Most adults are eating more calories than they need, and should eat fewer calories. For teenagers (11-14 yrs) it is slightly lower, with Boys needing 2,220 and girls 1,845 calories per day.

Eat a wide range of foods to ensure that you’re getting a balanced diet and that your body is receiving all the nutrients it needs.

Everyone can benefit from regular exercise. people who are active will:

have stronger muscles and bones

have a leaner body because exercise helps control body fat

be less likely to become overweight

decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes

possibly lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels

have a better outlook on life

Besides enjoying the health benefits of regular exercise, teenagers who are physically fit sleep better and are better able to handle physical and emotional challenges — from running to catch a bus to studying for a test.

Finding an activity they are interested in can be tough, but there are a whole range of activity experiences available, just find one that suits. Look at the local leisure centre or community centre at what courses and activities they offer. Even going out on a bike ride or for a walk in the evenings can help!

Sleep & Relaxation

Most teens need about 8½ to more than 9 hours of sleep each night. The right amount of sleep is essential for anyone who wants to do well on a test or play sports without tripping over their feet. Unfortunately, though, many teens don’t get enough sleep.

Until recently, teens were often given a bad rap for staying up late, oversleeping for school, and falling asleep in class. But recent studies show that adolescent sleep patterns actually differ from those of adults or kids.

These studies show that during the teen years, the body’s circadian rhythm (sort of like an internal biological clock) is temporarily reset, telling a person to fall asleep later and wake up later. This change in the circadian rhythm seems to be due to the fact that the brain hormone melatonin is produced later at night for teens than it is for kids and adults. This can make it harder for teens to fall asleep early.

These changes in the body’s circadian rhythm coincide with a time when we’re busier than ever. For most teens, the pressure to do well in school is more intense than when they were kids, and it’s harder to get by without studying hard. And teens also have other time demands — everything from sports and other extracurricular activities to fitting in a part-time job to save money for college.

Early start times in some schools may also play a role in this sleep deficit. Teens who fall asleep after midnight may still have to get up early for school, meaning that they may only squeeze in 6 or 7 hours of sleep a night. A couple hours of missed sleep a night may not seem like a big deal, but can create a noticeable sleep deficit over time.

How do I know if I’m getting enough? You are not if you experience any of the following:

difficulty waking up in the morning

inability to concentrate

falling asleep during classes

feelings of moodiness and even depression

It is essential that students are prepared for a day of learning. Their minds need to be fully focussed and awake. Here are some things that may help you to sleep better:

Bullying

The ABA defines bullying as:
the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person by another(s), where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be carried out physically, verbally, emotionally or through cyberspace.

Bullying is when someone or a group of people make you feel sad or afraid, over and over again. It is defined as:

A ‘hate’ incident – meaning you or someone else is being targeted because you or they are seen as being different. This might be because of disability, gender, race, religion/belief or sexual orientation.

You have the right to be treated with dignity and respect and to live without fear. So: you must tell someone.

Who could you tell?

Your parents

An adult you trust

A friend

Your form tutor

Use the ‘Voice It’ form below, or the Voice Box outside 018, to report anything causing you concern

A Pastoral Manager (Mrs Underwood/Mrs Heath/Mr L Mayes/Mr Coombes)

Your Head of Year (Mr Marsden/Miss Heggs/Mr Clark/Mrs Wright/Mrs Smith)

Remember: you must tell someone. As long as you tell someone they will make sure the school knows, and we can help.

Voice It

Please use the box below to report any incidents of bullying, either to yourself or that you have witnessed around the college. The name box on this is optional and you can remain completely anonymous if you wish.

Name

First

Last

Email *

Your Message *

Website

All incidents will be treated seriously and appropriate action will be taken.

Or Leicestershire anti-bullying team are running an advice service for young people who need support about bullying issues. It is confidential and just for people living in Leicestershire. The help line is an email based service where people can leave questions/messages and Dave will reply with help and advice.askdave@leics.gov.uk

E-Safety

Brockington College takes the responsibility of safeguarding its students from the dangers on the internet, both in and out of the classroom, very seriously.

In the constantly evolving world of IT it is important to ensure the dangers present on the internet are continually reinforced to our pupils. As a college we ensure that not only is e-Safety covered within IT & PSHCE, but fully embedded within all areas of the curriculum, as well as via assemblies and small group sessions. We also feel that parents have a significant role in ensuring that children stay safe outside of the classroom; whether it be on the family computer, using a tablet or an internet-enabled smartphone.

New services pop-up all the time which provide their own risks and dangers and we appreciate that it can be extremely difficult to keep up-to-date with the services your son or daughter may be using. We have created this page as a useful, continually updated reference guide for parents to keep up with the latest risks facing young people online.

Ask an Expert

We know that navigating the world of social media, keeping up to date with what online services your son or daughter is using and being aware of the dangers it could pose can be a full time job. Sometimes it’s easier to just ask someone if you have a particular concern or query. As such we have launched our ‘Ask an Expert’ service where you can email in with your queries, concerns or requests for information regarding any areas of IT use and E-Safety. Please contact us by clicking here, and a member of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.

Social Media (and how to protect your child)

Providing an up-to date, always relevant list of privacy settings isn’t possible due to the vast array of social media services available and the frequent changes in how to access and edit privacy settings.

Therefore, we have collated some useful videos (to the right) which go someway to explaining what the services do, the dangers they pose, and how to make them as secure as possible.

Hopefully these guides will allow you to make an informed decision on whether the service is suitable for your son or daughter, as well as how to secure it as best as possible.

Reporting

Tell An Adult. If you are unsure or concerned about something you have seen online it is vital you tell an adult. This could be your parents; an adult or friend you trust; Childline (0800 1111); or, if you are a pupil at the college, it could be your Form Tutor, Pastoral Manager or Head of Year. You can even email the pastoral team on pastoral@brockington.leics.sch.uk, or click on the ‘Report Content’ icon on your school desktop.

Cyberbullying: If you are experiencing Cyberbullying of any kind you must speak to someone so we can put an end to it as soon as possible. Please either speak to your form tutor, a member of the pastoral team, or report it using the college’s Voice It service so we can investigate as soon as possible!

Child Exploitation & Online Protection

The Child Exploitation & Online Protection Group are setup to protect children from harm online and offline, with particular focus on bringing online child sex offenders, including those involved in the production, distribution and viewing of child abuse material, to the UK courts. If you would like more information, or to report something you have seen online, please click here.

Featured Video

Useful Links & Resources

This is the latest student version of the Acceptable Use Policy that all students sign at the beginning of Year 7. It covers all areas of acceptable computer use and is designed to ensure correct and safe use of the school facilities.

Fantastic, monthly updated website with videos and advice on the latest social media platforms that your son/daughter may be using. In particular the ‘Popular App Guide‘ gives a quick glance view on which sites pose more of a risk than others. If you bookmark just one page (other than ours!) make sure it’s this.

Comprehensive e-safety guide which offers lots of advice and guides – including Parental Control guides to the most common devices used in the home, dealing with malicious software and viruses and many safe web browsing tips.

Kooth is a free online service that offers emotional and mental health support for children and young people. When you sign up you can choose an avatar, which helps to keep you safe and anonymous. You can have a “drop-in” chat with a counsellor or therapist or book a one-to-one session.

Kooth’s counsellors and therapists are available until 10pm, 365 days a year. You can talk to other young people anonymously on the forums whenever you like, and keep an online journal.

Voice It

The key message to all students having problems and difficulties, or simply looking for advice is to let us know. We can only help and make a difference if we know there is a problem. Only then can we try to deal with it appropriately.

We appreciate discussing certain matters face-to-face with an adult can be tricky and uncomfortable so if you feel you cannot talk directly to either your form tutor or head of year please send an email to pastoral@brockington.leics.sch.uk. This email is checked regularly by members of the pastoral team who will respond to you as soon as possible.

Also, if you would like to report any incidents of bullying, either to yourself or that you have witnessed around the college please fill in the ‘Voice It!’ form below or use the ‘Voice Box’ outside room 018 to let us know. Names are entirely optional!

Voice It!

Please use the box below to report any incidents of bullying, either to yourself or that you have witnessed around the college. The name box on this is optional and you can remain completely anonymous if you wish.

Name

First

Last

Email *

Your Message *

Email

All incidents will be treated seriously and appropriate action will be taken.